PURPLE GRAKLE. 39 



young, as the difference of climate between these latitudes leaves the 

 northern states a month later in their seasons than the southern. 



In the Northern States these birds construct their nests in a much more 

 perfect, and therefore more natural manner. A pine tree, whenever it 

 occurs in a convenient place, is selected by preference, its dense foliage 

 and horizontal branches being well adapted for nidification. There the 

 Grakle forms a nest, which from the ground might easily be mistaken for 

 that of our Robin, the Turdus migratorius, were it less bulky. But it 

 is much larger, and instead of being placed by itself, is associated with 

 others, often to the number of a dozen or more, on the horizontal arms of 

 the pine, forming tier above tier, from the lowest to the highest branches. 

 The centre of the nest is what I would call saddled on the bough, the 

 materials being laid so that the nest is thinner in its middle part and 

 thicker at the two opposite sides, so as to have a firm hold. It is about six 

 inches in diameter outside, and four inches within, the depth being the 

 same, and is composed of grass, slender roots and mud, lined with hair 

 and finer grasses. I had a white pine-tree in one of my fields on Mill 

 Grove Farm, on which many of these birds bred every spring, when some 

 mischievous lads frequently amused themselves with beating down the 

 nests with long fishing-rods, to my great annoyance. Some of the Penn- 

 sylvanian farmers, from a very laudable motive, have given out that 

 Grakles are fond of pulling vip the garlic plant, so injurious to the pas- 

 tures of the Middle States ; but I am sorry to say this assertion is by no 

 means correct, and were these good people to look to the Grakles for the 

 clearing of their fields from that evil, they might wait long enough. 



The flesh of the Purple G rakle is little better than that of the Crow, 

 being dry and ill-flavoured, notwithstanding which it is frequently used, 

 with the addition of one or two Golden-winged Woodpeckers or Redwings, 

 to make what is here called pot pie, even amidst a profusion of so many 

 better things. The eggs, on the contrary, are very delicate, and I am 

 astonished that those who are so anxious for the destruction of these birds 

 do not gratify their wishes by eating them while yet in embryo in the egg. 

 In some parts of Louisiana, the farmers, or, as they are styled, the planters, 

 steep the seed corn for a few hours in a solution of Glauber's salt, to deter 

 the Grakles and other birds from eating the grains when just planted, as 

 we term it in America, the word soio being seldom employed there to de- 

 note the act of depositing in the earth even the smallest seed. 



The Purple Grakle travels very far north. I have found it everywhere 



